Konica Minolta celebrates 150 years of innovation and looks to the future for its next chapter

Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic and lithographic materials at Konishiya Rokubeiten in Kojimachi, Tokyo, in 1873, marking the beginnings of the Konica Corporation. Since this time the company has been on a path of innovation. Roll forward 100 years and it transformed offices with the now ubiquitous plain paper copier to market (1973). Then two years later it revolutionised photography with the built-in flash and auto exposure functions for 35mm cameras. At the start of the 1990’s Konica entered the laser printer market and at the turn of the millennium the Konica Corporation joined forces with Minolta Co., Ltd - two world-renowned brands coming together to become what is today, Konica Minolta.
 
This new age for the company has seen it lead the way in the digital print revolution (as of 2021 the company led the digital label press market with a 28% market share), pioneer new intelligent video technology by taking a majority share in Mobotix, and break new ground in healthcare, in areas such as radiography and pioneering cancer research.
 
This spirit of innovation continues to drive the business. Today, as well as being a market-leading hardware manufacturer, Konica Minolta is also a leading provider of Digital IT Services with a mission to deliver Digital Transformation (DX) to its customers to meet the evolution of business practices and processes. Focusing on its vision, which Konica Minolta terms the Intelligent Connected Workplace (ICW), the company delivers a wealth of inter-connected services which are designed to provide customers with greater mobility, rapid scalability, and automation that boosts productivity and reduces unnecessary costs, to ensure they stay highly competitive.  
 
Rob Ferris added, “Our journey started 150 years ago with a vision to see and do things differently and that same purpose that kept us moving then, keeps us moving now. As we mark our 150th year we recognise the significant contributions of not only our own team but also our valued partners and of course all our customers. This anniversary further inspires us all to continue our tradition of innovation and to recognise that there are no limits in our determination to make the future brighter. This first 150 years is just the start, and we look forward to shaping the next chapter in our long history.”
 
Some Key Milestones in Konica Minolta’s History
 
1873 - Rokusaburo Sugiura establishes what will become the Konica Corporation
1903 – Created the ‘Cherry Hand Camera’, Japan’s first brand name camera.
1928 - Kazuo Tashima establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten, which later becomes Minolta Co., Ltd.
1960 – Launches the ‘Minolta Copymaster’, its first copier.
1962 – John Glenn takes the first pictures of Earth taken from space with a Minolta Hi-Matic during the Friendship 7 space flight
1977 – Launched the world’s first finger-measurement type pulse oximeter.
1984 – Developed an ultra-high-precision aspheric plastic lens for CD players.
1992 – Became the first company worldwide to receive a Blue Angel mark in the field of copying.
2002 – Developed Simitri – the world’s first polymerized toner with biomass, which along with economical production reduces CO2 and NOx emissions by up to 40%.
2003 – Konica and Minolta merge to form Konica Minolta.
2005 – Released the world’s first Mammography to use phase contrast technology.
2009 – Introduction of Managed Print Services.
2010 – Launches Enterprise Content Management.
2010 – Released the ‘bizhub PRESS’ digital printing system.
2013 – Application Management introduced.
2014 – Global Solution Helpdesk launched.
2014 – Introduction of Managed Content Services.
2014 – Launched its first Business Innovation Centre (BIC) in London.
2015 – Introduction of Infrastructure Management Services.
2016 – Introduced reinforced edge computing IP cameras with Mobotix.
2016 – Launched the Accuriojet KM-1 B2+ UV inkjet press.
2016 – Introduction of Business Process Services.
2017 – Launched the Workplace Hub Portfolio.
2018 – Awarded the BLI Pacesetter Awards for Outstanding Serviceability and Smart Workplace Vision.
2019 – Workplace Hub awarded Managed IT Magazine’s Editor’s Choice.
2020 – Konica Minolta named ‘Leader’ in Print Transformation by IDC.
2020 - Launches Connected Dome platform linking networks and the cloud to deliver next-generation video projection services for dome theatres.
2020 – Launches FORXAI Imaging platform with cutting-edge IoT and AI technologies that help accelerate digital transformation.
2021 – Konica Minolta named ‘Leader’ in Managed Print Services by Quocirca.
 
For further details on Konica Minolta, its products, and services please visit: www.konicaminolta.co.uk